


If I missed my moment, I missed my moment

by pornbot



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter - prerelationship, M/M, Pining Draco Malfoy, Requited Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-07-25 21:07:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20032342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pornbot/pseuds/pornbot
Summary: If we ever had one, I stomped it in to the ground before I even knew what I was passing by.





	If I missed my moment, I missed my moment

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fleurting](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fleurting/gifts).

Potter hadn’t got any less attractive with age was Draco’s first thought on meeting the lead Auror for the case. Completely inappropriate, he was here to advocate for three children caught up the crimes their parents had committed, crimes the Prophet was salivating to report and the Auror’s, understandably, wished to prosecute to the fullest extent, but he hadn’t seen the man in person for fifteen years. Given the size of Wizarding Britain and that neither of them had left, you would have thought that they would have had to work to never even cross paths in Diagon Alley but Draco hadn’t been and he couldn’t imagine Potter avoiding anyone. Potter had gone straight in to the Auror’s while Draco had gone back to Hogwarts for his NEWTs then spent five years volunteering with the War Recovery Committee before beginning to train as a Child Advocate. He had thought himself well and truly over that embarrassing teenage crush on Potter and a happily married man but he was no longer a married man. Draco felt sadness begin to overwhelm him and pushed his mind firmly towards work, away from thoughts of Astoria or her death. “Auror Potter, I’m Advocate Malfoy assigned by the Wizengamot to represent Larkin, Lilian, and Magnus.”

Potter didn’t bother to introduce himself or the others in the room. “Now the Advocate is here we can begin this interdepartmental meeting.” he said as papers flew across the table at a casual flick of his wand. “This is an interdepartmental meeting, Under Secretary Weasley,” Potter gestured to a lightly freckled, balding redhead dressed in the most stereotypical low level bureaucrat outfit Draco had ever seen, “represents the Minister. Mrs Brown,” A well put together but badly scarred middle aged, white woman, “the press office, and Advocate Malfoy, the suspect’s children, none of whom need to know the details of the investigation.” Potter turned to a middle aged Indian woman in royal blue prosecutor robes, “Padma has your department assigned a victim’s advocate yet or are they still dragging their heels.”

“No”. Padma - Patel, a Ravenclaw the same year at Hogwarts as he and Potter, Draco thought - replied as Draco had expected. He’d only got the call this morning and the children had been in St Mungo’s for two days without a nominated guardian or representative. “With your permission Auror Thomas has been acting as a liaison and is willing to continue until an advocate is assigned.”

Potter nodded. “Nothing has changed regarding our press position since our last meeting, Lavender. I understand they are breathing down your neck for a statement but we’ve been waiting for vital statements until an Advocate was assigned, we simply don’t have anything to tell them. Advocate Malfoy when can we interview the children?”

“Tomorrow morning,” Draco consulted his diary, “sometime after,” he pushed appointments around with his wand, “10am at the earliest.” Draco flicked his wand and a small bird made entirely of light flew across the table to sink into Potter’s diary.

Potter looked frustrated but nodded before ceding the floor to Weasley, who drowned on for what felt like hours about the impact on legislation currently being debated and the Minister’s re-election chances.

* * *

The case was one of those where every time you thought that the defendants couldn’t possibly be any shittier people something new would come out. It would have been easier if they had been idiots and everything had come out in one big explosive reveal but they weren’t so it was a slow insidious drip of unpleasantness over months with charges racking up but no trial in sight.

Draco’s stomach turned with the awful combination of nausea at what they would be discussing today and an embarrassing squirming in his gut at the thought of seeing Potter, every time he got an DMLE Owl. He was a forty year old man, a widower and father. He should be over this stupid crush. Potter was straight and happily married. It was made even worse because he couldn’t predict if Potter was going to come himself or send one of his juniors. The man seemed to pick at random, at first Draco thought he was coming for the worst interviews, chairing the tensest, most difficult interdepartmental meetings but he ran the meeting that lasted five minutes and attended an interview where he played dolls with Lilian and Magnus for an hour and nothing of import was discussed.

Today, would be a difficult one, Draco had that much forewarning. It would be the first interview where they had to consider the possibility that Larkin may legally be a co-conspirator, he was twelve and the latest witness statements described him in conjunction with his parents.

“Malfoy.” Potter walked out of the alleyway, his voice oddly warm. “Are Lilian and Magnus here?”

“My junior picked them up an hour ago.” Draco replied trying to keep his voice from betraying the twisting of his stomach in response to Potter’s unexpected friendliness. He’s professional, acts like this with the entire multidisciplinary team, Draco reminded himself.

The interview was as bad as expected. Three hours of painstaking questioning from Potter and lots of Draco preventing that strand of questioning from continuing or making them break so Larkin could calm down. If Potter had any warm feelings before the interview, they were long gone. Not that Draco was sorry, it was his job to advocate for Larkin, decide at what point he needed a dedicated lawyer present and how far questioning could go.

Potter looked at the worn watch on his wrist, “We’re heading to the Leaky Cauldron for drinks,” he said, “you’re welcome to join us.”

Draco’s thoughts stumbled, “I- Uh, I- That would be...” Wonderful he was about to say thinking about the last time he’d been out with adults even ones who didn’t particularly like him. “I have to get home, Scorpius is with a nanny and tonight is her night off.”

* * *

Six months on, the case finally dragged to halt, no more revelations poured in and an initial trial date had been set. Draco was fairly certain that the relationships he had developed with the team were not just pity, after Brown had passed the details of Astoria’s death around, but professional regard and that he had acquitted himself well on his first major criminal case. He’d even managed to stop letting his stupid crush from controlling his interactions with Potter even if the stupid thing wouldn’t die.

“You heard?” Patel asked as they waited for the meeting to start, after the hand over to the prosecution the meetings had moved to the Wizengamot offices from the DMLE offices so they were always the first to arrive, both being based out of the Wizengamot.

“About McCulloch’s retirement?” Draco asked.

“No, Potter.” Patel said, “his wife left him and filed for divorce. Claims irreconcilable differences or that she cheated on him if irreconcilable differences won’t get them divorced.” Draco’s stupid crush reared it’s ugly head. He’s not married anymore or won’t be soon, and he likes you. “What about McCulloch?”

Draco stomped the stupid crush down. “Fitzgerald is forcing him out. Rumours going round the advocate’s chambers are that he left enough evidence when manhandling one of the secretaries for Fitzgerald to take the complaint seriously this time.”

* * *

“I’m so sorry.” Draco said. Harry looked at him blankly and he wanted to the floor or open up and swallow him wide. What had he been thinking? They weren’t friends, just coworkers. Why would Harry want to talk about his personal life with him. Not to mention it was a complete non sequitur.

  
Then the confusion on Harry’s face resolved itself into a broad grin, “Don’t be.” he said. “It’s not like we aren’t still friends. We just want completely different things from life. Ginny wants to be in the air with her team or if she can’t, to be travelling with them reporting on the game. I’m more of a homebody.” The grin took on a decidedly shit eating look, “And a mutual love of a good hard dicking isn’t enough to hang a marriage on but it makes a great foundation for a friendship.”

  
Draco’s noticed his mouth was open and closed it with a snap stunned. Harry let him blink silently for a minute before saying, “Where’s the Malfoy confidence when you need it. Do you want to go out for dinner, Draco?”

  
Draco was fairly certain that was the first time Harry had called him by his first name. “Uh- I, uh- That would be great, Potter.” He stumbled out feeling his face pink and cursing the fair Malfoy genes he had been stuck with.


End file.
